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How do you get over GAS?

#81
While not curable, you can slow it down by keeping your music earnings separate from your other earnings: I ONLY use funds earned from music performances for GAS, and most purchases are cash tranactions for used equipment.

Of course GAS for me also includes the purchasing of vehicles such as this lovely example which doubles as both a storage barn and transportation
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#83
What I usually do is go to a guitar store, play a few basses that are totally out of my price range and realize that they don't feel any better (or actually worse) than my $300-$400 basses....then I feel content with what I have.
 
#84
wallawallabob said:
While not curable, you can slow it down by keeping your music earnings separate from your other earnings: I ONLY use funds earned from music performances for GAS, and most purchases are cash tranactions for used equipment.

Of course GAS for me also includes the purchasing of vehicles such as this lovely example which doubles as both a storage barn and transportationView attachment 592297 :
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Gee, now, here I thought you were going to say the only way out of GAS is via the cargo bay of said vehicle. :roflmao:
 
#85
The thing that helps my bank account slightly is limiting the number of instruments. I allow myself a 4 and a 5 string(although I rarely use a 5 for anything), and a solid body electric guitar and an acoustic guitar. So if I decide I want a different 4 banger, I'll have to replace the one I have.
 
#86
krovx said:
...My partner and I agreed to one acoustic, 2 basses, 2 guitars. That works for me.
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+1

eastcoasteddie said:
What I usually do is go to a guitar store, play a few basses that are totally out of my price range and realize that they don't feel any better (or actually worse) than my $300-$400 basses....then I feel content with what I have.
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I do the same. Some feel a tad better, but not enough they are worth 5-10 times more than the one I gig with now. The one exception for me is a MM Stingray. Absolutely zero reason for me to have one, but every time I'm at a music store they just call my name. I play mostly blues, rockabilly etc...and rarely even take my P-Bass tone knob from the lowest(least treble setting) in a band situation, so the signature MM sound is not even something I'd probably even use.
 
#87
I think I finally have my GAS under control. I am truly not interested in anything more at this time, and starting to sell off many of my 20+ basses.

1. Be sure you have something really GOOD to play - nothing makes GAS more than lower quality instrument. And for me, a $12-1500 bass is more than good enough. Diminishing returns after that. And cheap ones can be great! I am currently crazy about my $180 Squier VM Jag SS. Hard to imagine anything playing and sounding much better than this one!

2. I realized That there are only 3 classes of bass sounds that are discernible when playing live - Upright, P-Bass and J-bass. You only need one of each sound type. The variations within each class are cannot be heard or appreciated by the typical audience. WE hear it, but no one else does (in general). So - you only truly need one of each and MAYBE a fretless.

So - once you have something really great to play that fits the type of sound you need - you REALLY don't need more - You can come to this realization.

And - the suggestions to put on a new set of strings, and perhaps get a new setup are very good.

If you have the cash, the space and the understanding wife to buy as much as you want, more power to you, but GAS can be controlled.

Oh yeah - stop reading TB. That's what got me started.
 
#88
There's a lot of great advice here already (as well as plenty of snarky comments, but all in good fun.)

I'll echo what others have said: one GAS cure for me is simply time.

I'll get it in my head that I reeeally need/want a certain thing. Not long ago it was a non-reverse Thunderbird. Just HAD to have one.

But since I rarely if ever have any leisure cash, I can't just run out and score something like that. Eventually the GAS subsides and typically I even end up thinking "Well, I didn't really need that anyway. I don't think I'd have played it that much or had some mystical revelation about playing..."

The other thing that helps for me is just practicing. Playing and enjoying what I already have.

Most people can't afford to have one of everything. I used to own 6-9 basses at a time and personally, it got to be more of a chore than a pleasure just owning so many. Keeping them strung and maintained, keeping them in playing rotation, proper storage and finding space for them, etc. I'm now much more of a minimalist, and belong somewhat to the "you possessions own YOU" school of thought.

I don't feel that way for other people...other people can buy whatever they want, and should. But what works for me is keeping a limit on things I own, making the most and feeling thankful for the instruments/gear I do have.
 
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#92
I don't think you ever get over it. but you can mitigate its effects a couple ways.

1) gig a lot. You'll be amazed at how LITTLE that special sound in that $200 effects unit matters when you've gotta haul and set up a pedal board, particularly when you don't have a lot of space. When you look at it, doing nothing in your music room or place you keep your equipment, you might wonder why you bought it.

2) Sell the old stuff and use it to buy new stuff.

3) Saturation -- at 9 basses, I felt I had enough basses. I don't buy them anymore (at least, for the moment, my bass GAS is on hold).
 
#95
eastcoasteddie said:
What I usually do is go to a guitar store, play a few basses that are totally out of my price range and realize that they don't feel any better (or actually worse) than my $300-$400 basses....then I feel content with what I have.
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^ This.

For years I avoided GAS by taking my one-and-only bass to the music store and comparing it with the other stuff in the store. I ALWAYS walked away with my own bass and a renewed conviction that it was a winner.

After 10 yrs I finally decided it was time for a change, but 10 yrs of more-or-less GAS free was nice.
 
#97
Can't help you with your specific situation, but I was able to get over my aliment when I looked around and saw just how much stuff I had accumulated - I was really disgusted with myself. This wasn't a financial issue - luckily, I have a great job that allows me to indulge myself without any strain to the household economics. But still, over a 5-6 year period, I had purchased so much stuff just because I could. I'm a hobbyist, not a pro, but I was equipped like a pro. In the end, it just seemed wrong to have so much, mostly because I kept coming back to the same few basses, preamps and amps over and over again. I ultimately sold off 80% of my stuff - mostly because I wanted it to be in the hands of someone who would appreciate it more than I did (and more importantly use it more - how often do you use your #11 bass?). TB provide me with many willing buyers, so all good now.
 
#99
I haven't really browsed this thread in the last three pages, and was going to write a smartassed reply like "you get over the GAS by buying the bass" or something like that, but here's my story:

When I was a music major in college, I had just my crappy Epiphone EBM, which really sucked (still does, but the pickups make it sound great). When I got my Geddy Lee bass, I was so happy that I never even had the desire to try other basses. Sometimes I'll go into a guitar shop and doodle on instruments, but nothing really made me feel like my Geddy was a bad choice--and I really have a pet peeve of guys who go into these stores and just sit there and play forever.

Only when I came to the conclusion I needed a Precision, a fretless and a 5er, did I start trying out basses seriously again. The two precisions I have were leaps of faith, as they were builds that I wanted to do. Both, including the Squier Affinity, were very successful.

Once the fretless and 5er come in, I won't have a desire to go into Guitar Center or Sam Ash and fiddle around on basses until I need another bass.

And you made me realize I want a Hoffner, too. But that's want vs. need (the new basses are for work needs), so I can avoid the GAS for that for a while. I DO need an EUB eventually so that local salsa bands will stop hiring me on trombone and start on bass.
 

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